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Budding Swede Ludwig Bystrom headlines The Hot List

Our prospect expert's weekly round-up of the kids making noise right now focuses on a Dallas Stars pick playing big minutes, plus the season debut of Connor McDavid and more.

With NHL rosters set, we will soon say goodbye to some Hot List favorites. Since as soon as players such as Curtis Lazar in Ottawa and Anthony Duclair of the Rangers make their big-time debuts, they will be considered graduates here. But while those players make their dreams come true, others are still on the path, so let’s take a look at some of the prospects making noise around the world right now.

Ludwig Bystrom, D – Timra (Swe.)

Getting minutes is crucial to a young player’s development, particularly on defense, a position that takes a little longer to master. So Dallas must be thrilled that one of their top young blueliners is seeing tons of ice with Timra back home in Sweden right now.

Bystrom is on loan to the second division (Allsvenskan) club from Farjestad of the Swedish League and is tops in ice time lately, playing around 24 minutes per contest. He excelled at the Traverse City rookie tournament this summer, showing off great wheels and a confident approach on the blueline. Getting used to the North American game is research he was happy to undertake.

“It’s not as much about tactics over here then in Sweden,” Bystrom said. “But it feels faster over here. When I was over in Texas last year, I got to see a little bit and it’s great hockey.”

Bystrom will likely join the American League’s Stars next season, unless he’s good enough for the NHL. But Texas is coming off a Calder Cup championship and that’s not a bad place to develop, either. Bystrom visited the team last season and hung out with fellow Swedish rearguard Patrik Nemeth. Not only did he get to see the city, but he also got to taste the local cuisine.

“We went around Austin and saw a little bit,” he said. “When I was at the hotel I went to Texas LongHorn steakhouse every night, I think.”

Packing on some pounds through brisket and biscuits may not be the actual method Bystrom uses to bulk up his 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame, but he is working on the matter back in Sweden.

“I want to be bigger and stronger so I can battle harder in the defensive zone,” he said. “It’s getting better, but I have to work on that.”

With his vision and mobility, at least the skills part of the game is more than taken care of already. Drafted 43rd overall by Dallas in 2012.

Connor McDavid, C – Erie Otters (OHL)

Through four games, McDavid is averaging three points per contest; you know, not too shabby. His ability to create and to put defenders on their heels is incredible and the speed in which he makes plays makes him dangerous every shift. Draft eligible in 2015.

Mikko Rantanen, RW – TPS (Fin.)

At nearly 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds already, it’s no surprise that Rantanen is already playing in Finland’s top league. Along with his frame, the youngster also has a booming shot and nice hands, which have all helped him to four points in his first eight games. Draft eligible in 2015.

Ivan Provorov, D – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

The Russian import is known for playing a calm game on the back end and he’s handy at both ends of the ice. On a powerful Wheaties team, Provorov has instantly forged himself to the offense with two goals and seven points in six games. Draft eligible in 2015.

Kay Schweri, RW – Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)

The Swiss import has been a playmaking machine since joining the Phoenix, with 18 assists in nine games. Schweri may only have one goal in that span, but the youngster does possess a good wrist shot to go along with speed and some very nice moves. Draft eligible in 2015.

Dakota Joshua, C – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)

A big dude who is willing to put in the work in order to create offense, Joshua has found his offense early with four points in three games. The Ohio State commit is tenacious on the forecheck and great in the corners. Drafted 128th overall by Toronto in 2014.

Kyle Wood, D – North Bay Battalion (OHL)

A high-riser in last year’s draft, Wood stood out because of his size and the way he produced in the playoffs. So far this season, he’s continued the trend with three goals in as many games. Wood is listed at 6-foot-5 and 217 pounds, meaning he has streamlined from last year’s 229-pound listing. Drafted 84th overall by Colorado in 2014.

Kyle Connor, C – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

It was almost funny to see Connor and Jack Eichel on the same line at the All-American Prospects Game because the two were too similar to work together. Both were better after they were split up and Connor is off to a great start in the United States League, where his speed and smarts are big assets. The Michigan commit is draft eligible in 2015.

Michael Spacek, RW – CSOB Pojistovna Pardubice (Cze.)

Part of the growing wave of Czech prospects who are killing it out there, Spacek won silver at the world under-18s this past spring and has continued his great play in the Czech Republic’s best league. The winger has great acceleration and vision, which he has used to put up four points in nine games versus men. Draft eligible in 2015.

Zach Sawchenko, G – Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

He may not be a tower like many of his fellow young netminders, but Sawchenko is already looking like a star at 16. The six-foot-tall goalie brings poise, quickness and puck-handling ability in net and helped Canada win gold at the summer Ivan Hlinka tourney. He’s rocking a 1.55 goals-against average and .950 save percentage early on. Draft eligible in 2016.

John Tavares scores with a move no one had ever done before

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John Tavares scores with a move no one had ever done before

The New York Islanders captain undressed Jay Bouwmeester in the most unusual of ways, but the important thing is he kept the puck. Then he buried it

John Tavares: good at hockey.

The New York Islanders captain pulled off an absolutely stunning series of moves last night, culminating in a laser-shot goal against St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen. But let's get back to his humbling of Olympic gold medallist Jay Bouwmeester, because that's where the real magic happened.

Witness, as Tavares puts his stick behind his back and grabs it with his other hand while still skating and fending off Bouwmeester. Then, since he is a patient boy, Tavares waits and waits and waits before firing one top corner on Allen:

As the soccer folks would say, lovely. New York would go on to beat the Blues 3-2, with Anders Lee scoring the other two goals for the Isles. After struggling to begin the season, New York is now 6-2-2 in its past 10 games. Tavares leads the squad with 21 points through 26 contests.

Canadiens’ Pacioretty spent all of November playing on a broken foot

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Canadiens’ Pacioretty spent all of November playing on a broken foot

Max Pacioretty has a good reason for his slump throughout November: he was playing with a broken foot. Pacioretty found his groove to start December, though, with three goals and four points in four games.

The Canadiens’ major off-season move saw P.K. Subban shipped out to Nashville in exchange for Predators captain Shea Weber, and there have been rumblings that Montreal could be heading towards another major move at some point this season, this including captain Max Pacioretty.

While the rumor may sound far-fetched or bizarre, it wasn’t without reason. You see, Pacioretty, 28, was off to one of the slowest starts of his career and through the early part of the season he looked as though he was a shell of his former goal-scoring self. By the end of October, Pacioretty had just two goals. Come the end of November, he had increased that to just five. All the while, Pacioretty was watching his ice time fluctuate.

It’s near impossible to know exactly when the injury came, especially without Pacioretty outright saying when it occurred, but it’s not hard to believe that the veteran winger was fighting through injury over the course of the past month. Pacioretty has been one of the league’s most consistent goal scorers in the past four seasons.

From the start of the 2012-13 lockout shortened campaign until the culmination of the 2015-16 season, Pacioretty scored 121 goals, good for the ninth most in the league. His .43 goals per game rate over that span is the same as that of Jamie Benn’s and ranked ahead of Sidney Crosby, Rick Nash, James Neal, Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeni Malkin and you get the point. This season, though, Pacioretty’s five goals through 23 games had his goals rate at roughly half of his rate of the past few seasons.

That has changed in early December, though. Since the calendar turned over, Pacioretty has been one of the hottest scorers in the Montreal lineup and a terror on the ice. In four games, he has a team-leading three goals and four points, no one has put more rubber on net than Pacioretty’s 15 shots and there isn’t a single forward in the lineup seeing more ice time or shifts. He broke out of his November-long slump in a big way, too, with a two-goal, three-point performance against the usually smothering Los Angeles Kings.

If Pacioretty is fully healed, and his recent performance seems to indicate as such, don’t expect those trade rumors to keep gathering much, or any, steam. Finding his form from past seasons makes him one of the best weapons in the Canadiens’ lineup and a potential game breaker as the season wears on.

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Connor McDavid didn’t mince his words when asked post-game about Brandon Manning. He called the Flyers defenseman “classless” and said Manning admitted to injuring him on purpose.

Connor McDavid has had no shortage of head-to-head battles with young stars in the game. There has been outings against Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews and more than handful per year against the Flames duo of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan.

But of all the players Connor McDavid could have had an on-ice feud with, it seems Brandon Manning is the first real rival for the Oilers phenom.

One might recall that it was during the early part of the 2015-16 campaign that Manning, a Philadelphia Flyers blueliner, got tangled up with McDavid as he looked to break in on goal, resulting in McDavid making hard contact with the boards behind the net. The impact with the boards saw McDavid break his collarbone and led to a 37-game absence for the then-rookie.

It was believed to be an unintentional act, something that simply happened as part of the game, and McDavid had even absolved Manning of any blame. That was until last night, more than 13 months after the Nov. 3, 2015 injury to McDavid..

During the Oilers’ hard-fought 6-5 defeat at the hands of the Flyers, McDavid was seen verbally jousting with Manning on a couple of occasions. The most obvious case came after a power play goal by McDavid, where he was seen skating towards Manning and shouting something in his direction.

It didn’t end there, though. Post-game, the Oilers captain went in on Manning, calling the hit that led to the broken collarbone an intentional act.

"I did all I could defending him last year in the media," McDavid said. "Everyone wanted to make a big deal saying he did it on purpose, and he wanted to say some comments today about what went on last year. I thought it was one of the [most] classless things I've ever seen on the ice. He said some things and our guys responded accordingly. I guess we can put the whole 'if he did it on purpose' thing to rest because what he said out there kind of confirmed that. Shows what kind of guy he is when he doesn’t step up and fight some of our guys.”

Shortly after McDavid commented on the incident, Manning fired back saying that he would “never intentionally hurt someone,” and added that’s not the way he plays.

"Anybody who knows me, I play a hard game,” Manning said, according to NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman. “That's the reason I'm here, that's the way I'm in the NHL. I'm not here to score goals like some of those guys. I think I play an honest game, and anyone who knows me knows I play hard and stuff happens out there."

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The Golden Knights have hit another hurdle with their name, this time with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A trademark request has been rejected, but it doesn’t sound like the team expects a name change.

The Vegas Golden Knights are really having a tough time catching a break in the naming department.

On Wednesday, a trademark request by the Golden Knights was rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in large part because the name and logo were deemed too similar to that of the NCAA’s College of St. Rose Golden Knights.

Yes, that’s right, yet another roadblock between the NHL’s newest franchise and the name Golden Knights.

The first hurdle for the team, and the first real hubbub about the name, came shortly after the naming ceremony in late November. The team had only had the Golden Knights moniker in place for a week when it was reported by The Fayetteville Observer’s Steve DeVane that the U.S. Army was set to review Vegas’ use of the name because it is shared by the Army’s highly decorated parachute team.

And all that came after Vegas owner Bill Foley purposely strayed from his first choice for the team name, Black Knights, in order to avoid any conflict with the U.S. Army’s NCAA athletics programs and after the singular name, Knights, was reportedly avoided in order to forego any conflict with the OHL’s London Knights.

Suffice to say, the naming process has been a headache thus far. However, before those who despise the name and/or logo go celebrating in the streets, it should be noted that the latest naming hurdle likely means nothing in the long run.

“Office actions like this are not at all unusual, and we will proceed with the help of outside counsel in preparing a response to this one,” the statement reads.

In their statement, Vegas also pointed to the shared names of UCLA and Boston, both named the Bruins, Miami and Carolina, both named the Hurricanes, and even pointed out that Vegas and Clarkson share the Golden Knights name. None of this is to mention the MLB’s Texas Rangers and the NHL’s New York Rangers share a name.

“We believe, at the end of the day, all parties will embrace the fact that we are the Vegas Golden Knights and this absolutely will work out,” Craven told Gotz. “I hope people don’t overreact to this at all. We believe everyone will be satisfied. We are only going to enhance the name Golden Knights for everyone. That’s our goal.”

UPDATE: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has released the following statement:

“We are currently reviewing the Trademark Office's letter and will prepare a detailed response demonstrating why we continue strongly to believe the Vegas Golden Knights mark should be registered in co-existence with the college registration, just as a number of other nicknames currently co-exist in professional and college sports (particularly where there is no overlap as to the sport for which the nickname is being used). That response is not due until June 7, 2017.

“We consider this a routine matter and it is not our intention to reconsider the name or logo of this franchise. We fully intend to proceed as originally planned, relying on our common law trademark rights as well as our state trademark registrations while we work through the process of addressing the question raised in the federal applications.”